Midnah's First Love
by Shellbell-san
Summary: Midnah, the Royal Editor of Asbel, has always lead a life of service to others, so much that she has often forgotten about herself. When she goes searching for love, the first person she finds is the last person she expects. Memories flow, pasts are unlocked, and love blossoms.


Midnah's First Love  
It was spring in the kingdom of Asbel. The annual Festival period was close at hand, and Midnah was feeling loneliness creep into her conscience. Many times a day she found herself pondering about the facts of love, and how many people in the kingdom would fear loving her in case they should break her heart and be pursued by Skull itself. This greatly depressed Midnah. The King's court quickly noticed her sighing and miserable face before she changed her mood as they entered the almost always saw her like this, and were desperate to change it. She always kept herself locked down in her office when she was at the Princeton Castle (an action only recently started), and they did not dare visit Midnah in her home for fear of being swallowed in the depths of Midnah's Wrath (see Map of Asbel). No one really knew her feelings at all at the cause of this matter.  
**Midnah's P.O.V.**  
I was facing the most dreary time of my life. All the world seemed dull and "in the doldrums." I often thought of isolating myself entirely until I found out precisely what was wrong with me. I soon realized that isolation was not needed. I was lovesick. I had never even considered love to be of particular consequence, but then, at that moment, I was sure that this was the foolish reason that had kept my happiness at bay. I had always figured that, being in the King's court, I was bound to find love sooner or later, just as Rose found love with Christian. However, this was not the case with me. I found the many meetings and parties with members of other courts profoundly boring, and I highly doubted that was soon to change. Thus, I suppose, I was thrust into a loveless life.  
I was in my house (which is a tree, for those who haven't laid eyes on it) when these thoughts came to mind. "Well, I must certainly do something about this," I said to myself, and I set off to look for someone to love.  
Now, finding someone to love who loves you back is a very hard task, I presumed. The first place to look is the last place, and since the first place I would have looked was among royalty, I found myself mingling with the commoners in Celestia, a town outlying Princeton. I was looking for some sort of spark when eyes met, or a tingle when brushing past each other in the crowded streets. This method didn't really work, and left me wandering about every street and almost purposely shoving people in a hope for that tingling touch. At last, I was exhausted, and found a place to sit on the side of one of the crowded cobblestone streets. I pulled my knees up to my stomach and buried my face in them, almost starting to cry. "Pull yourself together!" I thought to myself. "You'll not find anyone in such a state as this!"  
It was then that someone tapped my right shoulder and I looked up into a pair of brilliant green eyes set on a fair-skinned face surrounded by blonde hair.  
"Excuse me, ma'am, but what's the matter?" he inquired.  
"Oh, n-nothing's the matter, sir, it's just that..." I trailed off.  
"Just that what?"  
I realized that I was staring into his eyes, and I mentally chided myself for losing my train of thought due to staring, which is not very ladylike. "I... I... what is your name, sir?"  
"My name? Many people just call me Blacksmith, or Smithy, but you may call me whatever you like." He smiled at this, and my attention was completely focused on him.  
"Well, people I know call me Editor, or the Third Hand, but you may call me whatever YOU like." I replied, wit lacing my voice.  
"Oh, I see. If you must know, my real name is Koruto."  
"My name is Midnah."  
"Hmm... like the member of the King's court?"  
"How did you know?" I scolded myself for this. Now I knew that he knew that he could never love me.  
"It was kind of obvious, you know. Editor, the Third Hand... has it ever occurred to you how famous you are throughout Asbel?"  
Oh, great, now he thinks of me like a celebrity. All I need is some paparazzi. "No, I suppose not."  
"Well, heads up, because you are! But why are you dressed like that? I barely recognized you. Are you in some sort of disguise?" He smirked, probably imagining all the possibilities.  
"... No, it's not a... well, you could...hmm, I guess it is a disguise, of sorts."  
"Oh? Whatever for? Are you just trying to avoid followers or something?"  
Well, at least he was oblivious to my intentions. That was exactly the opposite of what I was trying to do. "Why are you so interested?"  
He suddenly seemed interested in his shoes. "I'm sorry. It's just that you seem so out of place among all these commoners, and I was wondering why you would do something like this."  
"Come, sit down, this conversation will be better when my eyes are not blinded by the glare of the sun behind your head."  
He sat down, taking my same position; knees drawn into himself, his arms wrapped around them. His left arm lightly grazed mine, but he quickly drew it tightly around his legs. I could swear I felt a tingle on my skin for that moment.  
"I'm sorry."  
"It's not your fault, it's just that the sun decided to be right there in that particular moment." I explained.  
"That's not what... oh, never mind."  
I looked at what he was wearing. A black cotton tee shirt covered by an unbuttoned, beige shirt. Tan, leather breeches. A white cloth tied around his head.  
"Hmm..." I wondered.  
"What is it?" Koruto asked.  
"That scar, on your face- what's it from?"  
His hand seemed to subconsciously move to the scar that was high on his jaw line, as if to cover it. "It's a long story."  
"I like long stories." I smiled.  
"It was a long time ago. I don't remember."  
Something about the tone of his voice and the expression on his face told me that he could remember every detail of how that scar came to be.  
"If you say so," I said. I don't like to pry. It scares people away, and that was not what I needed right now.  
We sat there and talked for what seemed to be hours. Only the trivial things, though- we didn't seem to ever talk about one another's past. Another person might think of this as a way to make them back off, but it just made me more interested.  
"Oh, just look at how time flies!" Koruto exclaimed. "I'm sorry, ma'am, but I must be going." He rose up from his position and stretched.  
"Midnah," I corrected.  
"Hmm?" Koruto turned around.  
"Call me Midnah, not ma'am."  
"Alright, Midnah," He said, testing my name on his tongue.  
"Goodbye, Koruto," I said, testing his name on mine.  
He offered his hand to me, which I accepted. He then proceeded to pull me to a standing position, which he did a bit too hard. I stumbled into him. He helped to position me upright, trying not to let me see the blush creeping onto his face. I smiled as he receded to a safe distance.  
Koruto turned and walked down the street. I watched him until he turned the first corner, putting himself out of my sight.  
**Koruto's P.O.V.**  
I turned into the first street I saw and started panting. I don't know why. I don't care. Wait, what if I do? Oh, gods, not again! This CANNOT be happening again!  
Is she following me? Gods, I hope not. I sat there at that corner, just out of her sight, before actually continuing to where I was going. Luckily for me, my shop just so happened to be on that street. I almost dashed for it, trying to keep cool, but failing. She was still on my mind. She was beautiful, with that blonde hair and that dazzling smile! She looked just like... no, it couldn't be. I opened the door to my shop, stepped in, and locked it shut. I backed up against it and panted some more, clutching my chest. What is that? My heart? Oh, no... it's happening again, and now it's gone too far. Why did I spend such a long time talking to her? It's as if I just couldn't help myself, and I don't think I could have even if I wanted to. Why? Why is it so hard to forget her? Maybe I should start working again. That might help.  
I walked over to my tools and started working on my first order of the week. I only take so many orders in a week, and the amount I take depends on the difficulty of them. I've never been late on an order, no matter how much it takes. After I collected the tools, I glided over to the table where I keep all my metals. Let's see... ha! This metal would be just about right, I think. I took the time to stoke up the forge, and I molded the metal into the shape I needed it to be. This took a few hours. Now was the time for some magik...  
I finished my work late that night. I was exhausted, and fell asleep within minutes after I crashed into bed. My dreams started soon after.

I stand in a field by my old village on a warm summer's day. The grass is a lush green, soft beneath my bare feet. I hear a rustle behind me. Glancing over my shoulder, I prepare for an attack. Instead, a blonde-haired, brown-eyed girl rushes out from the bushes and holds her arms out for a hug. I turn around, catching her off guard, and hold her close. She gasps, blushes, and I lean in...

I woke up in a cold sweat. I looked around. Everything was dark outside. I cursed under my breath. Why?! What does it mean?! I thought. I tried to control my breathing, but I was not able to. My heartbeat would not slow down. I cursed again. Then I scolded myself for cursing. I put my hand up to my forehead. My other hand made its way to my scar. I quickly put it down, trying to break the habit after so many failed attempts. After my heart finally slowed its beating, I laid myself back down in my bed, closed my eyes, and... opened them right back up again. I couldn't do it; I felt too giddy inside to fall asleep.  
I decided to get out of bed and walk around a bit. I quietly unlocked my door and stepped outside. I immediately regretted my decision- it was freezing out there. I nimbly jumped back inside and locked the door into its original position. I quickly climbed back under my bed-sheets and somehow managed to sleep until morning, when there was no chance of sleeping again until nightfall.  
**Midnah's P.O.V.**  
I yawned and stretched like a cat as I made my way out of bed. I had slept soundly last night, better than I had been sleeping. I dressed myself and set out into the woods. I had my own little secret entrances and exits throughout my Wrath of a forest, so it took me only a few minutes to reach Princeton. Once I reached the Castle, I immediately set about working in my Editorial Library. Already, my desk was messily piled with new accounts of the King, which I had to organize and edit within a month. This was actually harder than it looked; I constantly read and re-read every word on every piece of paper at least three times and make many comments before finally accepting the fact that the passage could not be better than it already was. After this was done, I would send for Christian, who would then take that part of the King's account back to the 'His' Majesty for the looking over and re-typing of the work.  
I often found this job to be tedious, but I loved it nevertheless. The King was actually quite adept in storytelling, so I was delighted to see what concoctions the King's mind could create. That day, however, I found myself re-checking sections that didn't really need re-checking, if only for one sole purpose- the King had a knack for writing love stories, and it occurred that I could not stop glancing over the most romantic parts of the King's tales. I was very confused at this, and began to wonder what it meant. There were one of two choices: one, that I was a hopeless romantic, or two, that I happened to be in love myself. I leaned toward the latter, and, to my great surprise, realized that I really was in love, and that I had to do something, lest my heart should burst.  
"I'm going home early today," I told the King in front of 'his' throne.  
The king looked back at me with a questionably solemn look before telling me, "Alright, then, you may go."  
"Thank you, sire," I said, the words coming out as sincerely as possible. I bowed to the King, turned, and took my course through the castle halls, stopping just outside the last corridor to enter into my first secret passageway. At that time, I was surprised that the King let me go, for I could tell 'he' knew that I was not going home at all.  
I was in Celestia before I knew it. I was walking around the cobblestone streets, trying to discern just where Koruto's forge was. I was going to see that man again, whether he liked it or not, though I prayed to the Gods that he would indeed like it.  
Celestia was a rather large city, and I asked around many times for the directions the Koruto's forge, but all the people there seemed to have never heard of him. I sighed in dismay and sat down in much the same position as I had the day before. I was hoping that he would come tapping on my shoulder again and that we would have another one of our fascinating conversations while he lead me to his forge. As anyone could possibly presume, he did not do any of these things. I decided that the only way to find Koruto's forge was to search every street and every map for a detail concerning the work or the name of the man I was searching for.  
The first day passed with no sign of him. I took to searching for him every day after I finished editing and sorting. I soon came to know almost every blacksmith, and I made sure to note which ones might be helpful for service to the royal army. At one time, I decided I would search for one more week, after which I would say it wasn't worth it and move on. I was two days away from my deadline when I set out searching again. This took a considerable amount of time- hours, in fact- and just as I thought I was about to give it a rest for the day, I paused at a certain shop with smoke coming out of a chimney and the clanking sound of a mallet coming from within. I knocked loudly on this door to try and make the person inside hear me. Apparently they did, and who could have imagined when I found myself face to face with none other than Koruto! I had to control the urge to hug him and tell him that I had been searching for him all week. Instead I said, "Well? Aren't you going to invite me in?"  
He opened his mouth as if to speak, then decided not to and simply stood aside in an inviting gesture. His eyes were wide, and he looked as if he had seen a ghost. "Is something wrong?" I asked, trying to figure out why he reacted in such a way.  
"No, nothing is wrong, ma- I mean, Midnah."  
I entered into his living quarters, looked at my surroundings, and turned to face him. "I'm glad to hear that you still remember my request."  
"...I'm not sure whether to say 'thank you' or 'you're welcome' to that."  
"I'm not sure, either, but at least you said something."  
There was a pause in the conversation as we both brainstormed topics to talk about.  
**Koruto's P.O.V.**  
I looked in astonishment as I saw Midnah standing there in the doorway. I welcomed her in, and we said a few words that I've forgotten already. I quickly tried to offer a subject to talk about, but the words would not come out of my suddenly dry mouth. How do people expect to talk to the most beautiful and vaguely familiar person they've ever met when that person happens to be standing right in front of them? I was lucky enough to have talked to her yesterday for the time that I did, when I was the one to end the conversation. Now, I couldn't make that happen. She had to be the one who ended the conversation; I couldn't kick out a member of the king's court. I was worried just how far she would go before stopping to go home or whatever somebody like her does.  
I almost didn't hear when she said,"How have you been doing lately?"  
Why didn't I think of that? "Oh, okay, I guess." I couldn't tell her the truth. I actually felt terrible, magnificent, and miserable at the same time. "So, how have you been?"  
"I've been doing well."  
I tried to see if she felt the same way I did. I don't think she did. Was she happy to be here?  
"Well, what will we talk about today?" I asked.  
"Oh, I was hoping to examine your work as a blacksmith, you know, for a story that the King is writing."  
I had never had anybody watch me while I worked, and I was not sure how different I might act under this kind of pressure.  
"Alright," I said, and I don't think I did that voluntarily.  
"Great!" She exclaimed. Her face lit up. I almost smiled at the sight of seeing her so happy.  
I felt light-footed as I started gathering the materials for my next project. She kept her eyes on me the whole time. At least I had stoked the forge earlier, so she didn't have to wait for that. I set myself straight to work. It took a while to mold the metal and hammer it into shape. I was watching Midnah out of the corner of my eye as I worked. She just sat there, not even taking any notes. I wondered if she really was here on duty.  
The time had come to apply magik to the weapon. I mentally prepared myself and wove my hands over the sword. I saw Midnah start smiling as she watched me form a sphere of magik from my hands. The sphere was made of many strings of magik weaving in and out of each other. I spread out both of my hands, quickly laid one on top of the other, and forced the orb into the blade in front of me. The weapon became encased in the magik, and the strings jumped across the metal like electricity. Midnah's eyes changed color into a whitish blue, and the sword glowed as the magik became completely synchronized with the sword.  
"What did you do?" I inquired of her.  
"Nothing,"she replied matter-of-factly.  
"No, really, what did you do? I saw what your eyes can use magik, too, can't you?"  
"Yes. And, by the way, you did that slightly wrong, so I was just helping the magik find its course into the blade."  
"I did it wrong, did I? Well, why don't you show me just how to apply magik the right way? Come on, get over here."  
She stood up, walked over to me, and stood beside me with her hands on her hips. She asked me for an object to apply magik to, and what the purpose of the magik would be. She moved the sword out of the way and placed a dagger on the anvil. "Here we go,"she said, and closed her eyes.  
Her eyes opened abruptly and the color changed again to the same bluish white. Her hands moved quickly and intricately, much more gracefully than I had done. Her sphere seemed more controlled, less wild than mine. It was clear that she had mastered magik much longer before I did. She didn't cross her hands like I did; she put them side by side and nudged the sphere into the dagger. It did not go wild, it did not struggle against her- it complied and sank into the metal, releasing a perfect tone of sound. The dagger glowed, then the glowing faded, and the synchronization was complete.  
"See? That was much better. You need to concentrate your hand movements and move with the magik, not make the magik move with you. Then, and only then, will it obey your wishes."  
I stood, dumbfounded, as she explained exactly what she did and the purpose of each movement. Finally, I positioned myself in front of Midnah and held her soft hands.  
"Midnah, will you do me the honor of becoming... my mentor?" Her eyes went wide for a moment. "Why, of course, I would love to help you better understand magik. I am always willing to lend a helping hand to those who need it. But, when and where will I teach you?"  
"You can teach me here in my shop, or at the castle, or at your house. Any of those would be fine with me, but we must limit sessions to one or two hours, twice a week. I have a job that I need to take care of."  
"Good. We can vary in between those places. I will come collect you when the sessions start, and I will lead you to the appropriate place. Now, I must be going. I need my rest tonight, and the sun has almost set."  
"So it has."  
"Farewell, Koruto."  
"Goodbye, Midnah."  
Midnah made her way to the door, started to open it, then abruptly turned around and gave me a hug. My eyes widened, but I softened and hugged her back. She turned around, opened the door to its fullest, exited, and was gone, just like that.  
**Midnah's P.O.V.**  
I can't believe it! I hugged him! I wanted that moment to last longer than it did, but I really did have to be going. I sighed a very deep sigh. He smelled of cinnamon, sweat, and heat, and it was wonderful. The thing about it was, he hugged me back! I think this is the start of something new.  
I shortly made it home through use of my secret passageways and undressed into a nightgown. I hopped in bed and smiled into my pillow. He was so nice! Even if his magik skills weren't the best, I am still able to teach him until they are. He will not regret it in the slightest.  
I took the time to calm down and regain my composure before finally falling into the depths of sleep.

I open my eyes, waking up from a doze under a tree. I see the white, wispy clouds moving very fast overhead. There is a book in my lap. The words on it are hazy- I can't read them. I sit up and stretch out my arms. The air smells of springtime. I turn my head both ways and see a forest surrounding me. I stand, holding the book in my hands. I start walking aimlessly around the serene wood filled with the singing of birds. I arrive at the edge of the woods and see a boy standing on the outskirts of a field, his back turned to me. I instantly recognize him. He is only a few feet away, and so I decide to surprise him. I break out of the bushes, arms open wide, and run up to hug him from behind. He notices my plan and turns around, grabbing me by my waist. I gasp, and feel the blood running to my face as I look up into his face. I see the sparkle in his green eyes as he proceeds closer, closer...

I opened my eyes. Stupid internal alarm clock! It was morning already. Time to go to the castle and edit more of the King's grammatically incorrect papers. I rose out of bed, pondering the dream I had just experienced. I recognized him... I recognized the place, the forest, the songs of the birds. I knew the book I was holding, without even reading the title of it. "The Art of Magik" was the name of it, and I still had that same copy of it somewhere in my library. This sudden realization of my past struck me with such a force as to make me faint and fall back into my bed.  
I woke up about five minutes later with a start. If I hurried, I wouldn't be late for work, and no one would have reason to suspect anything. I hurried out of my nightgown and donned my usual dress robes and cloak, grabbed a few fruits from my tree's branches, and ate them on my course through the secret passageways to Princeton Castle. I arrived about two minutes early, and used this time to steady my breathing and make it seem as if I was in no hurry at all. This was achieved within the span of the two minutes, and I started the walk through the castle's many halls to my Editorial Library. There were papers piled on my desk again, all of which I reduced to a mere ten pages within the space of approximately six hours. I corrected the rest of these pages in about thirty minutes or so, then had Christian send them to the King. My work was done for the day.  
A few minutes later, I was standing in front of Koruto's forge, knocking on his door. He had finished his work for the week, had not received any new requests, and said that he would be delighted to start his lessons at that moment. I told him to follow me, and we started heading toward my home in the forest.  
"I've never seen anything like this. This is amazing!" Koruto said when he beheld my underground passageways. "How long have these been here?"  
"These were used long before my time as ways of trade. They were forgotten long ago during the warring state period, when they might have actually been useful in transporting needed troops to specified places in but a few minutes rather than a few days. The only people who know about these tunnels are the certain members of the court, the King, and now, you."  
"Sounds like a lot of responsibility." We continued forward into the tunnel, and I closed the entrance. "Everything's pitch black! How do you expect me to see?"  
"Pipe down, I have this under control,"I chided. I mumbled a spell under my breath, and the torches on the walls closest to us lit up, giving us adequate lighting for travel through the tunnels. As we proceeded, the torches behind us went out, and the torches in front of us lit up as we drew near.  
"Amazing. Can you teach me that?" Koruto questioned.  
"All in due time, Koruto, all in due time," I replied with a smile.  
"Oh, alright. You're going to teach me how to fly, right?"  
"All in due time."  
He vocally sighed, then muted himself for the rest of the walk to my home in the forest.  
Once we reached my home, Koruto again seemed astounded. His eyes widened, he stopped dead in his tracks, and gaped at the tree that was my home.  
"Who made this?" He managed to whisper.  
"I did, silly," I answered. "I sung this tree into the home that it is today. It took awhile, but I think it turned out alright. It has five floors, not including the basements, a pulley elevator that fits three people, and I can't even remember how many rooms this thing has. Well, don't just stand there with your mouth open! Come inside!"  
Koruto closed his mouth, gulped, and commenced with walking towards my tree house (ha!) as I walked beside him. We stopped at the front door which had no doorknob, and I peeled back a section of bark, revealing a keypad with foreign symbols on it. I punched in the proper code, using all of the digits on the pad, and the door clicked and slowly swung open.  
"Now, we can't have robbers here, can we?" I said to help explain the need for such technology. Koruto simply nodded and stepped in after me. I closed the door shut behind us and the door armed itself once more. "Handy, isn't it?" I asked to pull Koruto from his stupor. He shook his head to rid himself of his awestruck state and answered, "Yes, I think it is." I smiled at this and turned to lead him further into my home.  
The inside was rather plain, with the walls and floor made of the same shade of furnished wood. The tree's circles of age were visible on the floor. Koruto asked how old the tree was, and I told him that I didn't know anymore, that it was at least one thousand years old when I found it in the clearing of the woodlands after taking a wrong turn in the passageways.  
"Well, you never know what to expect in times like these," Koruto said, absent-mindedly.  
"What do you mean, exactly?" I interrogated.  
"Uh, nothing, really," He quickly replied.  
"You're hiding something," I suggest.  
"Well, I suppose we're all hiding something inside ourselves, aren't we?"  
"Come on, out with it."  
"No. I'll tell you later." We stepped into the elevator.  
"Well, I'm not going to start your training until you tell me," I stated.  
**Koruto's P.O.V.**  
Oh, gods, now she has me. I have to answer now or she'll never give me a chance. What should I tell her? That I secretly love her and that she reminds me of another girl I once knew? No! That she astounds me with everything she does and that I wish she could do that forever? Certainly not! But the question remains: What in the world should I tell her to get her off my back?  
I do the only thing I can.  
"Why are you doing this?"  
"Doing what?"  
"Taking me as an apprentice, allowing me to see those tunnels, taking me into your own house. Why are you doing this? It's not like it will benefit you, will it?"  
"Stop."  
"Why do you stop to help those who need it, even if it means stretching yourself to your own limits?"  
"Stop it."  
"Why? Tell me, just tell me, I'm right here! Why do you do this to yourself?"  
"I SAID STOP!" She shouted. She closed her eyes, and flames burst around her. They enveloped both of us, and they would have set the elevator on fire, had she allowed the magik to spread. I had to cover my eyes to withstand to light coming from her. When she stopped, there were burn marks on the floor from the little fit of rage she had. Midnah's clothes had turned charcoal black. She was crying. I felt as if I had taken a slap to the face. Did I do this to her?  
"I'm sorry," she apologized, "I-I didn't mean..."  
"It's alright," I said, "I'm the one who should be sorry." I crossed the two feet between us and hugged her. She kept crying. Her tears soaked into my clothes, but I didn't care. I just held her there, in my arms. She eventually slipped her arms around me as well, and she nuzzled into my shoulder. I bent my head down into her hair. It smelled like flowers. We stood there in that position for a few minutes while she cried. After a while, her sobbing was reduced into short gasps and irregular breathing.  
When she reluctantly released me, she backed away a few inches. Her makeup was all over her face. She whispered an incantation, and the scorch marks on the floor disappeared. She pulled a cloth from her blouse, wiped her face, and breathed deeply.  
"I help people who need it because, long ago, I could not help those who needed it. Their blood will forever be on my conscience, no matter what I do. I help others because I know I can, and I cannot bear to have something like that happen again when I am able to do something about it."  
"What happened? Tell me everything." I pleaded.  
"Well, it happened long ago. I was fourteen, and I was just learning how to use magic. Back in that time, I lived in Helapini, on the other side of the mountains from Princeton. It was a small town, not like it is today. Back then, the Spartans had a long rivalry with Asbel. They would constantly seek to invade our cities and steal whatever they could, but the King's army would always fend them off. In Helapini, all we had ever known was peace. I was only learning magic for the fun of it.  
"One day, the Spartans launched an attack on Helapini. The people of the village didn't suspect anything, and before we knew it, we were surrounded in flames. I was napping at the edge of the forest that is now known as Midnah's Wrath when I heard the screaming. I ran to the village as fast as I could, saw the fire, and froze in terror. I could have doused the flames, you know. I knew how to. But for some reason, I couldn't. The magik wouldn't comply with my wishes, and I watched my people burn as I desperately tried to summon the water to make their suffering cease. I never could, and those who couldn't escape, including my parents, died. That was the single most terrible day of my life. They didn't even stand a chance. When the army arrived, it was too late. The village had burned to the ground. They did what they could by putting out all the rest of the small fires. They killed every last Spartan on site. But that didn't make me feel any better. Nothing did, not even when they rebuilt the city. I could have saved them, but I didn't. It's all my fault that my parents are dead!"  
She started sobbing again. I grabbed her before she went into another rage of fire. I held her like I would a child as she, a grown woman, cried into me.  
"There, now, it's alright. You don't have to blame yourself. It was the fault of the Spartans, not you. You did all you could, but sometimes, things don't work out. You see... I was in the village the day of that fire."  
She sniffed and looked up at me. "You were?"  
"Yes, I was. I remember my family crying for help. I managed to save my sister, but no one else. That's how I got the scar, from a tumbling piece of burning wood. At first, I blamed myself for those deaths, just like you. Then I realized that blaming myself wasn't going to help at all."  
She came out of her crying session in a second. "...Kenichi?"  
That name struck a chord in my mind. I knew that name; it used to be mine, in my childhood. But that nickname was only known and used by...  
"Mioru?" I wondered at the possibility of this happening.  
"Yes. Yes, that's it! It's you! I thought you were dead! You escaped with Mindi? Gods, I have so many questions to ask! How did you- How in the world?"  
"I can't believe it's really you! After all these years... I could just- just-"  
It was then that I finally found the courage to lean down and kiss her. Her clothes went bright and turned back to their original vivid colors. She didn't seem surprised; I think she might have done it herself, I'm not sure. All I know is that next she put her arms around my neck and tried to slide her tongue over mine. I let her. She tasted like strawberries and cream. We shared that passionate kiss for a whole two minutes before we stopped to catch our breath. She smiled and I smiled and I thought that moment was pure bliss.  
**Midnah's P.O.V.**  
Koruto tasted like nothing I had experienced before, like a foreign dish that you savor for as long as you can. When we parted our mouths, we smiled at each other and I started the elevator downwards to the basement where his training could begin.  
We hopped off the elevator, holding hands. I felt a new surge of energy run through me, a new motivation. I let go of his hand and started walking backwards in front of him, like a tour guide.  
"Welcome to my trainee room!" I cried, my voice echoing throughout the open space.  
"Glad to be here," Koruto replied.  
"Now, let's start your training. Don't be scared if things get out of hand; remember, I'm right here. Let's see what you can do!"  
"Where do I begin?" He cast a wistful glance at me.  
"Just show me whatever pops into your head first. Let it build inside of you, then just let it go, and don't force it. Magik has a mind of its own, and you have to mind your manners in its presence."  
"Here's something," He said as he grabbed me by the waist and kissed me again. I allowed him to, but only for a moment before I broke it off and stepped out of his grasp.  
"Not like that," I said. My face felt hot and my heart was beating like crazy, but I had to proceed if this session was going to make any progress. He gave me a smirk, then returned to the demeanour of a student, though I could still see that same look in his eyes.  
"Alright. How about this?" He stepped back further from me, paused, closed his eyes, and bowed his head. Then he opened his eyes. They weren't green anymore- they were silver. He spread out his arms, palms outward, and beams of light shot from his hands and curved through the air, forming a dazzling display of what looked like fireworks. The show ended with a group of beams bursting into a heart. The lights faded, and Koruto returned to his former position.  
"Did you see that? How did I do that?!"  
"Of course I saw it. I was standing right here, wasn't I? And how do you think you did it? Try to explain it to yourself, because I cannot tell you how your own mind works."  
"Well, the first thing that occurred in my head was the feeling I'm having right now,with you here. I just expanded that, let it fill me, like you said, and BOOM! That happened! I can't believe it!"  
"You did quite well for your first impromptu use of magik. Here's where it becomes harder. Now I want you to use magik for a specific purpose. Let's see... I want you to levitate that pitcher over there. Don't worry about spilling anything- it's empty. During this exercise, you will need to focus your magik on a singular object and concentrate on your task. You may find this hard at first. It is not like your tasks as a blacksmith, for those are more of the spontaneous type. It will not be easy, but it will come to you in time."  
"Okay, I'll try."  
"No." I interrupted.  
"What?"  
"You don't try. There is no such thing. In magik, the task is either completed, or it is not. I want you to complete the task, not 'try'. Now, show me what you've got."  
Koruto nodded and closed his eyes again. His irises again changed into a pure silver color, and he stretched his right hand towards the pitcher on the table a few feet away. No beams shot out of his hands; there was no display, only a mental call that one could faintly sense if they searched for it. The pitcher shook, rattled over to the side of the table, and dropped to the floor.  
"I can't, it's too hard."  
"Do it again."  
He scoffed. "I just said that I can't. Give me something else to do."  
"Do you expect to excel at magik or not? I am the mentor here, and I am telling you that one time is never enough to determine your skill at something. Keep at it; I said that it would come to you in time."  
He breathed deeply. Inhale, exhale. He put the pitcher back on the table and returned to his spot in the middle of the room. He stretched his hand again and his eyes turned silver once more. The pitcher rattled once more, but it didn't fall this time. He cut the magik off before it could.  
"Again."  
Koruto put his hand to his forehead, put it back down, then resumed with his practice. He attempted and failed exactly sixteen times before he insisted on stopping.  
"I'm afraid this is not going to happen today," he stated.  
"Very well. One more lesson, then."  
"What is it this time?"  
"Listen."  
**Koruto's P.O.V.**  
I felt a pressure building up in my head, like someone was slowly squeezing it in. I grimaced and tried to fight back, but the alien presence broke through my defenses and swam through my mind. The mind was gentle, though, and only probing, though its essence felt like it could do anything, even destroy me, if it wanted to. I then felt a voice inside of my head. It was Midnah's voice, and then I mentally slapped myself for not having recognized her in the first place. The voice spoke to me:  
'This is your final lesson of the day. The sanctuary of the mind is a great and terrible place, and one must use extreme caution when handling the matters of the mind. Do you feel my essence? One person's essence of thought will be completely different from the next person's, even if they are twins. You will not ever experience another mind like mine, nor will I ever find another like yours.'  
'How do you access another person's mind?'  
'It is simple, but first you must master your thoughts and control your desires. There are many types of minds. There are human minds, dragons' minds, and the minds of other creatures, like animals and spirits. They are easy to tell apart, and some minds are stronger than others, but to access minds... well, I cannot explain it myself, but it will surely come to you when you try it. Go ahead- enter my mind.'  
'Are you sure?'  
'Of course. I could easily eject you if I wanted. Your mind's essence is not as strong as mine.'  
I pondered this, and decided that I might not ever have another chance at entering Midnah's mind. I opened my thoughts and poured myself into her.  
Midnah's mind was so vast, so intellectual compared to mine. I shuddered, and she noticed. She instantly filled me with warm feelings, and I relaxed while she took me on a journey through her mind. It was better than bliss. This was heaven.  
**Midnah's P.O.V.**  
Koruto's essence felt strange. He had definitely changed since our childhood. There was a symphony of thoughts rushing through his head all at once, a thousand worries and griefs, a million memories, some of happiness, some of sadness and melancholy. Any normal, inexperienced being would have gone crazy if Koruto had touched their mind. I, however, was well versed in the mechanisms of the mind, and knew how to control this streaming of thoughts and emotions.  
'Not that much,' I scolded, 'You won't be able to stop.'  
'Sorry.' Koruto thought, and it came as thunder to my head. His thoughts receded from mine, and the flow of his mind with mine was reduced to a mere trickle, like that of a melting icicle. He thought this was too little, and adjusted the connection to an acceptable intensity.  
'That's better. We could use this form of communication from hence forward, if you would like to,' I suggested.  
'Yes, I would like that very much,' he agreed.  
'Now, this connection of minds decreases over distances. For instance, I do not think the distance between Princeton and Celestia will allow for contact between us, if only a very wisp of essence. At least, not until you manage to control that wild mind of yours.'  
I could feel Koruto become saddened by this. I then physically went next to him and hugged him. That distracted him, and the connection between our minds broke. I let go of him, he staggered back a few feet, then fell right on his bum. I burst into laughter. Koruto blushed and looked confused.  
"Hahaha! Oh, you should see your face! Bwahahaha!"  
He just stared at me, still sitting on the ground. He rose, and spoke:  
"It's not that funny."  
My laughter subsided. "Oh, I'm sorry, but it was, if only for a moment. Now, I think that will end our session for today."  
"But-"  
"No 'buts'. I am tired, and I do not feel like teaching you anything else for the day. I will take you home, and that will be the end of it."  
"Yes, Midnah."  
We walked over to the elevator together and entered. I used my magik to pull the elevator upwards, and soon we were on the ground floor. I disarmed the door and we strode out of the house, the door locking behind us. I pulled on the branch of a large tree, and the entrance to the tunnels opened up. We continued into the tunnel, and I used the spell to provide light before the entrance slid closed again. I guided Koruto through the passages until we finally reached the doorway just outside of Celestia.  
"I will see you again soon, I promise," I pledged.  
"I'm looking forward to it," Koruto replied, then took me by the waist for one more kiss.  
After we finished, I opened the exit and he slipped out. Once the door closed, I leaned on it and reached out for Koruto's mind. He responded, and then I told him the spell for using the lights in the tunnels in case he would like to use the passages again.  
'Thank you.'  
'You're welcome. Goodbye.'  
Just before our minds severed, he sent a thought to me:  
'I love you, Midnah.'  
I felt myself become fuzzy inside as that thought flooded the recesses of my mind, filling me to the brim with happiness.  
'I love you, too, Koruto.'  
****The End****


End file.
